Nothing Works
by evanescoVi
Summary: What does Ron do when he learns that Hermione has a boyfriend? Does he reveal his feelings to her, or does he keep that secret to his grave...literally? RHr FINISHED! hee...
1. Lost Forever

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

Setting: The trio's sixth year

A/N: Hope you like this! Please read and review!

Chapter 1: Lost Forever

_I have no reason to live_ thought Ron Weasley as he sat inside his room and stared out the window. The sky was dark and the rain was pouring hard. The scene outside depicts a dark and gloomy picture, which was exactly like Ron's mood. He's been like this for four days, ever since he got Hermione's letter, and he hasn't stopped sulking in his room even though Hermione arrived at the Burrow two days after he received her owl.

The source of Ron's sulkiness for the past couple of days was Hermione's "great" news. The Bulgarian Seeker, Viktor Krum had asked Hermione to be his girlfriend. She agreed, of course, but not after thinking hard about it for three whole days.

Ever since she became Krum's girlfriend, Hermione was always glowing with happiness. The day she said yes, Hermione immediately sent an owl to her two best friends, Ron and Harry. She expected her friends to be happy for her.

And they _were_ happy. Well, Harry at least. Ron, on the other hand, when he received Hermione's owl, he was overwhelmed with such enormous grief that he realized he doesn't have a reason to live anymore. The love of his life was already someone else's and there was nothing he could do about it. Since then, he's been up in his room, sulking about it that he made his mother so worried she went to talk to him. Ron assured her that he was okay and he was just sad that the summer holiday was almost over. Mrs. Weasley didn't seem very convinced about it that Ron reasoned (or lied) further that he enjoyed this summer so much he can't believe it was over. Considering that his summer was composed of laying around in the Burrow all day, Mrs. Weasley was still suspicious but then decided that whatever problem Ron was having, he has decided to solve it on his own. And she was okay with that since she still has a ghoul to take care of in the attic.

When Hermione arrived at the Burrow, Ron was there to welcome her. He was grinning ear to ear when she saw him so she figured that Ron was happy for her. But what she didn't notice was when she turned her back, Ron's grin instantly disappeared was replaced, again, by that same sad face he's been wearing for two days. Nobody else noticed this…except for Ron's younger sister, Ginny.

Ron sighed. _There is absolutely nothing in this world worth living for anymore_, he thought. Then he heard loud giggles erupt from the other side of his bedroom wall. Hermione and Ginny. _She must be telling Ginny every intimate detail on how Krum asked her out_, he thought; the feeling gets painful than ever.

Gone are the days when he used to think of Hermione and him together, just to lift his spirits up a little. Gone are the days when he used to think of ways on how to reveal his feelings to Hermione. Because then, his visions of her will never be the same as long as she has a boyfriend; as long as she has someone else in her life; as long as he knows that someone, other than him, has captured her heart.

Harry arrived at the Burrow through Floo Powder. He was surprised that his Uncle Vernon still let him use the fireplace after what happened during the summer before his fourth year.

The moment he arrived, he was still feeling a little dizzy when Mrs. Weasley gave him another spine-breaking bear hug.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad you're here," gushed Mrs. Weasley. "Now I don't have to worry about you all the time."

Harry smiled shyly at her. "Er…yeah." He didn't know what else to say. But he was touched, yet a little uneasy, that Mrs. Weasley was worrying about him.

"Harry!" a couple of voices chorused. Harry turned to see Fred and George handing him a couple of Chocolate Frogs.

"What are these for?" Harry asked, smiling as he took the Frogs.

"To welcome you, of course," said Fred.

"And to thank you," George added with a whisper so that his mother won't hear.

"The joke shop's been a great success," muttered Fred.

"All thanks to you, mate," George said appreciatively, putting his arm around Harry's shoulders.

"It was nothing," Harry said.

"HARRY!" someone shrieked.

It was Hermione. She and Ginny just went down the stairs from Ginny's room to see if Harry had arrived.

Hermione gave Harry the same bear hug that Mrs. Weasley gave him. _Ouch, that hurt_, thought Harry, feeling his back as Hermione released him.

"Oh, I'm SO glad you're here! I have _so much_ to tell you about Viktor!" she exclaimed. "Er…you _did_ get my owl, didn't you?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I did," he replied, still feeling his aching back.

"Hi Harry," greeted Ginny, smiling at him.

"Hey, Ginny," Harry slowly replied with a terrified smile. He gave her an uneasy look as if he was afraid she might give him the same hug he got from Hermione and Mrs. Weasley. He wished she wouldn't. His back hurts too much already.

Ginny chuckled amusingly. "I have no intention of hugging you, if _that's_ what you're thinking."

Harry smiled gratefully. Then he realized that there was one more person he hasn't seen yet.

"C'mon, let's go to Ginny's room," Hermione interrupted his thoughts. "I'm going to narrate every little detail." And before Harry could wonder where Ron could be, Hermione grabbed his wrist and started to pull him up the stairs to Ginny's room.

Ron has been staring out the window for hours. It was already nighttime when someone knocked on his door. He opened it to see his best friend. Ron had never felt so happy to see Harry.

"Harry! When did you get here?"

"About three hours ago," replied Harry, looking at his watch and walking into the room.

"Three hours ago?" Ron asked, incredulous. "Why didn't anybody tell me?"

"Your Mum said she didn't even bother because you're locking up in this room and being surly for the past couple of days and she doesn't know why," Harry replied with concern. "She says you didn't want to tell her so she felt that it wasn't her business and that if you didn't want to tell her, she wouldn't force you to."

"She said that?" Ron uneasily replied.

"She did, mate. She was worried about you. Now _I'm_ worried and you'd better tell me now because I'm going to know anyway." Harry's expression was full of anxiety.

_He's right. I'd better tell him. He's going to find out anyway_, Ron thought in despair. _But then again, he might think it stupid of me not saying anything about my feelings for Hermione. Harry might think he would've done something to make her notice me. But I guess it's too late for that now._

"Right. Well, I'm going to tell you what it is, but I don't think now is the right time to say it. So, let's talk about something else, shall we?" said Ron, trying to change the subject.

Harry sighed and shook his head. He knew where this was leading. "Look, I don't want to talk about Sirius, all right? And I certainly don't want to talk about Viktor Krum."

"Why not?" Ron asked, confused.

"It's been hard to take, Sirius' death," Harry said exasperatedly, "I've been trying hard not to think about it anymore because it's…it's…" he trailed off, not wanting to continue. _Because it's too painful_, he finished in his mind.

"Er…Harry?" Ron said timidly. "I wasn't asking about Sirius, I was asking about Krum."

Harry blinked. "Oh. Erm…I don't want to talk about him either."

"Why?"

"Well—because I'm sick of hearing his name! It's always Viktor this and Viktor that! She never talks about anything else!"

Ron knew well enough who that "she" was. "Hermione? Yeah, well she's been gabbing about Krum ever since she got here. I can't stand it."

"Me too," agreed Harry, chuckling in amusement.

"It's like every second she's saying Krum's name! It's so…"

"Annoying?"

"E—exactly," Ron hesitated. _I was thinking more on the lines of painful, but it'll do_, he thought. "It's like she never considers the feelings of other people whenever she talks about—about how she and Krum got together."

Harry was just about to ask Ron what he meant about the "feelings of other people, when Mrs. Weasley's voice called the boys to dinner.

"Come ON, Ron! Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Harry pressed. The family and guests just finished eating dinner and Harry's been pressuring Ron ever since they started eating.

Ron, of course, can't tell Harry now. Hermione was right there, practically beside Ron. She'd be able to hear it if he told Harry now. "I told you, I'm going to tell you later," Ron said. He's been saying this a million times already and he didn't know why Harry keeps on asking him.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "Tell him now, or he'll keep pestering you for days!"

"Hermione's right, Ron," Ginny piped up. She, Fred, and George were playing Exploding Snap on the dining table.

"No, she's not," corrected Fred. "Ron'll never say it. We've been trying to get it out of him for weeks and he still hasn't cracked."

"Yeah," George agreed, "he'll never tell. So I suggest you shut up for a while, Harry. Maybe he'll tell you what his problem is when you're a hundred and nine."

Harry sighed. _They just don't get it_, he thought. Ron's had a lot problems already and not once had he locked up in his room or in their dormitory in Hogwarts. _This must be serious_.

Ron can't sleep tonight. He's been tossing and turning in his bed for hours. His conscience has been bothering him. Half of him wanted to tell Harry what's going on, and the other half doesn't. It's so late at night that tomorrow he would have eye bugs. _This is just great_, he thought, _On top of all my dilemmas, I have to put up with dark circles under my eyes!_

_I just have to tell Harry so I could sleep now and be at peace_, he decided. He tried to think of some way to tell him.

"Harry," Ron started, "were you in love with Cho?"

Harry turned sideways on his sleeping bag so he could face Ron. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, were you completely crazy about her that you thought of her all the time that she's never gone from your mind; that you get jealous when you see her with another guy; that you get butterflies whenever you're alone with her?" Ron elaborated.

"I—I guess," was Harry's reluctant reply.

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

"N—no reason," replied Ron, hastily.

There was a moment of silence as Harry figured out why Ron asked him that.

"Hang on…" Harry started, finally realizing what Ron's question meant. "Is that what your problem is all along?"

"What?" Ron asked, confused.

"Love."

"What? Love?" Ron pretended not to understand. "I—I don't know what you're talking about." He sat up from his bed.

Harry sat up too. "Ron," he said as he gave his friend the you-know-what-I'm-talking-about-so-stop-kidding-around look.

Ron got the message. He sighed in surrender as he sat on the side edge of his bed. "All right, you got me. I knew you'd find out."

"I told you I would," replied Harry in a joking manner. "So this is about Krum, right?"

Harry completely meant this as a joke, but Ron seemed to think he meant it seriously. "H—h—how did you know that?" he asked, fearing that Harry might have gotten that idea from someone else, maybe Hermione!

But Harry just blinked and stared blankly at him. "I meant that as a joke, but I guess he seems to be your problem."

Ron kept silent.

And as for Harry, everything just clicked into place. "Hang on…does this have something to do with Hermione?" he asked, wide-eyed. Ron was still quiet and not looking at Harry. "Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked in this pained voice.

"I just—I mean—I—I don't know," he stammered. "But it's not like I don't trust you, or anything like that."

"Why didn't you tell me that you love Hermione?"

Ron's eyes widened in horror and he immediately put his hand over his friend's mouth. "Sshh!!!" He looked around, hoping Harry's voice wasn't loud enough to hear from the other rooms. "Don't say it out loud!"

"Why not?"

"Because she might hear us."

"Hermione? Why? Why don't you want to tell her?"

"Because if she finds out, she might feel sorry for me and break up with Krum when she really doesn't want to. Or, she might just laugh at my face and tell me that she wouldn't be caught dead dating me."

Harry stared at him. "Hermione's not like that."

Ron sighed. "I know. But—it's just—I just want her to be happy and not worry about me, that's all."

Harry gave up. It's Ron's business anyway. If he doesn't want to tell Hermione how he feels, then Harry won't force him to. "Whatever you say, Ron."

Five days later, the four of them, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, were all packed and ready to go. The Hogwarts Express was about to leave in forty-five minutes. Fortunately, they were going to use the Ministry cars to get to King's Cross Station.

Cornelius Fudge was nice enough to lend them the cars as a protection for Harry (the cars had certain Ministry guards in them; Harry suspected they were there on Dumbledore's request) and an apology, at the same time, for the Weasleys.

When Fudge found out who were originally involved in the second Order of the Phoenix, he started giving these people some favors in order to thank them. Mr. Weasley, for instance, was offered a promotion, but he turned it down because he said that he loved his present job and that he was content with it. So Fudge, still to make it up to him, started offering little favors instead of big ones. Lending the Ministry cars was an example.

Harry grunted as he heaved his trunk outside Ron's room. Ron had already brought down his own trunk (Harry didn't know how), and Harry was wondering how on earth was he going to carry his trunk all the way down the stairs, when Fred and George appeared by his side.

"Don't worry, Harry," said Fred.

"We'll take care of this," said George.

"_Locomotor Trunk_!" they chorused. Harry followed them down the stairs and out the house where the Ministry guys were stashing the trunks in the backs of the two cars.

Harry and Ron seated themselves in the car. They were inside it for ten more minutes when Hermione came out of the house. She looked a bit harassed with her hair sticking out in all places, and with the dark circles under her eyes. Ginny, who was right behind her when they stepped out of the house, looked a bit like Hermione too, except that her ginger-red hair was combed and it fell neatly over her shoulders.

The Ministry official was carrying Hermione's trunk (which was the only one left to stash) to the car, when Hermione and Ginny seated themselves inside it. Harry and Ginny occupied the "window seats", leaving Ron sitting beside Hermione. He was nervous though he didn't show it, but Harry could tell because he could hear Ron breathing slowly, in and out of his nose and mouth. Only, Hermione didn't notice this because she was in some kind of daze. She was staring right ahead, a dreamy look plastered on her face. Ginny, on the other hand, was fast asleep against the window.

Finally, Mr. Weasley and the Ministry official seated themselves inside the car, and drove off. Mrs. Weasley and the twins were on the other car.

Ron paced forward, trying to look for an empty compartment. He had split up with Harry and Hermione so that they could quickly find a vacant chamber. Harry tried to get Ron to go with Hermione, but Ron flat out refused him. Besides, he doesn't want to get all shaky and sweaty again.

The train was about to move in three minutes so Ron has to hurry if he doesn't want to get thrown at the very end of the train when it starts to set off to Hogwarts.

Ron peeked into a compartment. Neville Longbottom was there with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, Ron's fellow sixth-year Gryffindors. In the next compartment were Hannah Abbot, Ernie McMillian, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and a couple more Hufflepuffs.

Ron dared not go into the next compartment, for it contained Luna Lovegood. He didn't want to be in the same room with Luna Lovegood, ever. It gives him the creeps whenever she gazes intently into his eyes. It's as if she's trying to read his mind and dwell on his deepest, darkest secrets. Also, Luna was with Colin Creevey. Ron knew that Harry might get annoyed with him if he said they were to stay in a compartment with Colin Creevey in it. Ginny was also in there, trying to start and conversation between Luna and Colin, though she seems to be unsuccessful.

Ron slipped past the compartment and found that the one next to it was empty. Thinking that it's better to have a compartment next to Luna Lovegood's than having her in your compartment, Ron entered it and sat. He tried to rest up his legs a little before calling Harry and Hermione to say he found them a place to sit.

He pondered for a while, while he was sitting. He just realized that he and Hermione had to go to the prefects' chamber for a while before joining Harry.

The thought of spending the rest of his day with Hermione frightened Ron. For once, he wanted to feel as if he had no problems in his life, at all. For once, Ron wanted to feel no pain, because it pains him to see Hermione so happy...so...content. It pains him to see Hermione put on that dreamy look of hers, knowing that it was not him that she's thinking about, but Krum. It pains him to know that Hermione will never consider him as more than a friend. And it pains him to realize that he has no chance, at all, of telling Hermione how he really feels about her, for that will change everything. From their usual moments of talking to each other to the way they would behave around one another. Ron didn't like awkward moments, especially with Hermione.

Ron wants things to change; yet he doesn't want to. He wants Hermione to be his, and that it wouldn't change the way they act towards each other. But he knew this is impossible.

It was useless, dwelling on impossible events that aren't going to happen. _Maybe that's what my life is now_, Ron wondered drearily, _all useless. I feel so useless. My life doesn't have a purpose anymore. Maybe I'm not supposed to be living right now._

The Hogwarts Express gave out a loud whistle, and the floor of the train began to shake.

_Ever since Hermione was with Krum, I lost all my purpose of living._

The scene outside is slowly beginning to pass.

_Well, if I don't have a reason to live anymore, why am I still here? Why do I still live if my only destiny is being a worthless wimp who's watching Hermione and Krum get on with their happy lives?_ Ron poked his head out the window. His compartment was the third one from the very end of the train. The moment the train's already picked up speed is the moment Ron sees the scenery change from a train station to green pastures.

_I might as well look as if my death's going to be one big accident._

Ron still hadn't put his head back into the compartment. He pretended to wave goodbye to his parents and brothers, who just turned their backs on the train. "Bye!" Ron called to no one in particular. "See you next summer! Bye! G'bye!"

The train was beginning to pick up speed. Ron could feel the wind ruffling his hair onto his face. "Bye!" he waved at the station guard. The wizard looked confused but waved back as well.

_Goodbye, cruel world. Goodbye, Mum and Dad. Goodbye, Hermione. You will now cease to be a burden to me. Goodbye, Harry. I hope you would take my place as Ginny's older brother, once I'm dead._

Ron's head turned to where the train was heading. He was nearing the wall that separates the platform to the green scenery, the same way it would separate Ron's head from his body.

_Goodbye, cruel world. You've toyed with my emotions long enough._

After a last wave and a loud goodbye, Ron turned his head the other way again and felt the strong wind blowing against his neck.

He imagined the scene when his head would be separated from his body. He can see in his mind's eye, his mother giving a shrilly bawl, his father patting his mother's back as he stares at his son's head on the platform. Fred and George shouting, "RON!" and running towards the head.

Just to take his mind off of what he was about to do, Ron wondered how it would feel if his head was apart from his body. Would he still live long enough to bid farewell to his family? Would he still be able to comfort his crying mother? Would he still be able to think at all, let alone speak?

Ron's heart was beating wildly against his chest. He can't stand this anymore. _This had better be over in a second_, he thought. He shut his eyes. He tightened his grip on the windowsill as he prepared for the blow.

The train gave another loud whistle as Ron, though he didn't know this, was inches away from the wall that would take his life.

_Please, just get this over with._

Ron was about to be beheaded when he felt someone grab him by the back of his clothes and pulled him into the compartment.

A/N: To be continued...


	2. So Happy Together

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

A/N: There's one part here that is my sister's idea, so this story isn't entirely mine. That's it. Hope you'll enjoy this. I know I did (evil laugh).

Chapter 2: So Happy Together

"Ron! Ron, wake up!"

Ron opened one eye and saw Harry trying to wake him up. He pulled the blanket over his head, rolled to the other side of the bed, and groaned.

"Come on, Ron! We have classes today, remember? And we have Snape for first period!"

"I don't want to be within ten yards of that slimy-haired git," Ron grumbled, taking the covers off his head.

Ron opened his half-lidded eyes to see Harry staring at him as if to say, "Come on." Ron sighed, rolled his eyes, and said, "Okay, okay, I'm up. You go ahead. I'll be with you in a minute." Ron watched Harry walk out the door then he sat up. The dormitory was empty so he figured he was the only one who was not down in the Great Hall, eating breakfast.

He changed into his school robes then he tried to fix his hair in the mirror. He spent a rather few minutes on his hair when the mirror spoke impatiently to him, saying, "Stop fussing with your hair already! It looks fine! She'll be able to notice you."

"Who's this 'she' that you're talking about?" Ron asked defensively. How can a mirror know anything about his life?

"Well you make a fuss about your hair in a longer time than you usually do."

"I'm not fussing over my hair!" exclaimed Ron, annoyed. Then he walked out the dormitory to find the common room unusually empty.

_This is weird_, Ron thought, _the common room is never empty except for holidays. And today's the first day of classes!_

Ron found Harry sitting on one of the armchairs. He walked over to Ron. "I still think you should tell Hermione how you really feel about her," Harry coaxed.

"What?" Ron pretended to be confused.

"You heard me."

Ron sighed. "Now why would I do that?"

"Look, do you want to suffer forever?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, do you want to get hurt every time you hear Hermione talk about Krum? Or whenever she puts on that dreamy face of hers? Do you want that?"

"No," replied Ron. "That's why I tried to kill myself back on the train."

"Yeah, that was scary…"

_(flashback…)_

_Ron still felt a little dizzy after he was pulled back. He was, after all, thrown to the floor, and he still lied there for a few minutes. In fact, he was so dizzy that almost everything he saw was white. When he opened his eyes, all he could see was Harry, who was looking all worried, and all the white stuff in the background._

_Ron's first instinct was that he was dead and was in heaven. Only, Harry's here so he can't be dead yet._

_"Ron! Ron, are you alright?" Harry asked, his voice full of concern._

_"Harry?" Ron mumbled. "No—wait. I'm supposed to be dead!" he exclaimed, still not getting up._

_"What?" asked Harry, puzzled._

_"Hang on—maybe I _am_ dead. Well, if I'm dead, then I must be in heaven. If I'm in heaven and you're here with me, maybe you're dead too!" Ron proclaimed. "What did you Harry? Did you kill yourself?" he asked, his eyes wide open._

_Harry just stared at Ron as if he spilled some undiluted bubertuber pus on his face and developed some great, nasty boils. "I think you're mental."_

_"Harry! Ron! What happened here?"_

_Ron's vision cleared up and he realized that he was still in the train. He sat up and turned around to see Hermione looking worried, standing outside the compartment._

_"Erm…" Harry began, "Ron—Ron was just—"_

_"Thrown to the floor when the train sped up," Ron finished for him. "I just wasn't holding on to my seat, that's all."_

_Hermione gave them a weird look but considered Ron's reason anyway. "Erm…right. Er, Ron, we'd better get moving. We need to be in the prefect's chamber."_

_Ron immediately stood up. "Oh, yeah. See you, Harry."_

_(end)_

"Why'd you pull me back, anyway?" Ron asked Harry.

"What, did you think I was just going to leave you there? Come on, Ron!"

"All I'm saying is, I'm never going to tell Herm—"

"Hey, who are you two talking about?" someone asked curiously.

The two turned to see Hermione innocently staring at them from the bottom of the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"We—we were…talking about—" Harry stammered.

"Trelawney," Ron interrupted. "I was saying that it would be really mean to tell _HER_ that now we're not taking Divination, we think she's an ugly old fraud."

Hermione giggled. "That _is_ mean. But it's the truth."

Ron sighed in relief.

"No, it's not," Harry spoke up. "The truth is, Hermione, Ron has something to tell _you_."

"Me?"

Harry nodded. Ron looked terrified, with his wide eyes and open mouth.

"What is it, Ron?"

Harry nudged him with his elbow. "Go on," he prodded.

Ron took a great deep breath. _Thanks a lot, Harry_, he thought sarcastically, _I am _totally_ unprepared for this_. "Okay, I'm not good at revealing things so I'm just going to go out and say it."

Hermione nodded, looking inquisitive.

Ron faced her, took her hands in his, and said, "Hermione...(takes another deep breath) I am totally, completely, honestly, truly, madly, and passionately so in love with you."

Hermione just stared at him. She was completely stunned. Finally, she blinked and said, "Oh." What else was there to say?

Ron let go of her hands. "Look, I understand if you don't like me back. I just wanted to tell you that—"

"No, it's not like that at all," Hermione interjected quickly. She took both of Ron's hands. Ron felt a tingling sensation run through his fingers.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, confused.

Hermione paused and looked down the floor. "I like you too, Ron," she muttered. But it was loud enough for both Ron and Harry to hear.

Now it's Ron's turn to look surprised.

Harry was stunned too and he was staring at Hermione like he can't believe she just said what he thought she said. "I think I'd better go get some breakfast now," he piped up, still surprised. Then he walked out of the common room.

Hermione looked up, uneasily, at Ron. Ron's expression was changed from surprised to joyful. He looked like he just received an early birthday present. Total ecstasy was all over his face. "You really mean it?" he asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Really," replied Hermione. She was smiling too.

"But what about Krum?"

"Oh, I just made that up to make you jealous."

"Yeah, well, you succeeded," Ron blushingly admitted.

"I did?" Hermione looked up dreamily into Ron's eyes.

Ron stared back. "Yeah," he replied softly.

And they just stared at each other for a full minute. Suddenly, it's as if there's a powerful magnet that's pulling them together. Ron could see Hermione's face getting closer to his. She closed her eyes and she seemed to be moving closer still. Ron kept his eyes open. She was so near him, he could already smell the fresh scent of her hair.

_She's going to kiss me_, Ron realized happily. He was still grinning when he prepared himself to kiss Hermione.

But everything suddenly went white.

And Ron opened his eyes to realize that—

_It was all just a dream._

A/N: Did you like it? Still to be continued…hopefully, the next chapter would be the last…


	3. Matchmaker, matchmaker

Disclaimer: Again, I DO NOT own anything in this story.  Except maybe the plot or something.  Whatever.

A/N: Hello once again!  And by the way, thanks for the reviews!  This is the last chapter and I think this is as long as the first one.  Anyway, hope you enjoy this!  And don't forget to review!

Chapter 3: Matchmaker, matchmaker…

"I should've known it was all too good to be true," said Ron in despair.  He just told Harry all about his dream and how disappointed he was that it was all just one big fantasy.

Harry didn't know what to say to this so he jus sympathetically patted Ron on the back, comforting him.

"I mean, whoever's giving me these dreams are just bursting my bubble.  They're just getting my hopes up."

Ron looks so miserable.  Here they are, in a corner in the common room at six a.m. and Ron is acting like he's bankrupt.  His eyes are swollen from lack of sleep.  He woke up at 4 a.m. and was never able to sleep again.  He woke Harry up at 6:00 to tell him all about his dream.  His hair was out of place; not that this was really unusual.  Only his hair was worse than usual.  It was sticking out all over the place.  This is because he's been running his hands through his hair a couple of times, and trying to pull them out of their roots.

After Ron woke up from his dream, it took him a rather long time to embrace reality.  It took him an hour just to convince himself that what had just happened was a dream—just that, a _DREAM_, a very cruel and nasty dream just to get his hopes up.  It was like a prank played on him by Mother Nature.  And he is devastated.

Ron knew, from experience, that dreams never really come true.  Well, except for that one time when he kept on dreaming, for several days, about himself becoming a Quidditch player.  That happened a year before his first year at Hogwarts, and here he was, six years later, part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  Another was when he dreamt, during the summer holiday before his second year that he was about to become a great big, hairy spider's lunch.  And then in his second year, he met Aragog.

_Okay, maybe I had a few dreams that came true, but so what?_ Ron thought sadly.  If all his dreams came true, then Hermione would now be with him and he wouldn't be here suffering from Mother Nature's cruel practical jokes.

For the next hour, Harry just listened to Ron pour out his feelings.  Harry felt great pity for his friend.  He was, after all, heartbroken and jealous at the same time.  _And I know how it feels to be jealous_, Harry thought, his mind on Cho and Cedric.  He used to be envious of Cedric because he had Cho for his girlfriend, and Harry didn't.  Now, if Cedric were still alive, he would've gladly tossed Cho back to him.

Seeing Ron so miserable and feeling sorry for him at the same time, gave Harry a great idea.  It was just what Ron needed to be happy again: a little shove in the right direction.

It is very unusual for Harry to do this.  But he has to, if he wants to see his friend happy again.  He has to play matchmaker.

For the meantime, he has to take Ron's mind off of Hermione and force him to get ready for class.

"Erm…look, Ron.  I know you're depressed now and all, but I think we need to get ready so we could see our class schedules."

Ron's just staring into space, but it looks like he heard what Harry suggested.  "I don't feel like going to class today," he replied in a zombie-like voice.

"W—well, we have to.  I mean, what would _Hermione_ say when she finds out you're not going to class?  What will you tell her?"

"That I'm sick."

"But then she'll bring you to the hospital wing."

"I don't care."

"Well, Madam Pomfrey has to check if you're _really_ sick or not, and when she finds out you're not, Hermione will know because she'll be there asking Madam Pomfrey if you're going to be alright.  You know how worried she'll be.  Why don't you just save her the trouble and go to class?"

Ron stared at Harry.  "You're right.  I don't want to trouble her.  She might suspect something's wrong."

"Then what are we waiting for?  Let's get ready!"

And they went up the boy's dormitory.  They muttered a "Mornin'" to whoever greeted them as they passed by.

Harry was waiting for Ron and Hermione to come out of the boys' and girls' dormitories respectively.  He is pacing while he was trying to think of ways to somewhat show Hermione that Ron has different feelings for her.  Harry really wanted to help Ron; he didn't want to see another devastated face.

_I could give Hermione a gift and say it's from Ron_, Harry thought.  _No, that would be too obvious.  Hmm…this is hard.  Maybe I can drop a couple of subtle hints.  Nah, Ron'll kill me.  And I can't _tell_ Hermione because that's Ron's business.  Hmm…what can I do to give Ron that little shove he needs so he can tell or just show Hermione that he really loves her?_

Before Harry could think of anything else, a loud frustrated yell reached his ears.  It seemed to have come from the boys' dormitory.

The people in the common room were too busy to hear the scream, though.  Everyone was covered in used chewing gums of various colors.  Well, chewed up Drooble's Best Bubble Gums on everyone's hair can only mean one thing: Peeves is in the dormitory.  Harry was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that he had a big wad of pink gum on his robe's sleeve.

But before he could take it out, he, again, heard the same frustrated voice shout, "Grr!  Somebody open this stupid door!"  Harry recognized Ron's voice.  He was locked in the dormitory.

As Peeves gave out a loud cackle, Hermione came bursting out of the girls' dormitory.  A comb was left hanging from her bushy brown hair.  "What's happening?" she asked, incredulous and completely clueless.

She was answered by someone throwing a red wad of gum at her.  It stuck to her robes.  She let out a loud, irritated sound.  "PEEVES!"

Harry whipped out his wand to let Peeves have a taste of his own medicine.  "_Waddiwasi!_" he cried as he jabbed his wand to Peeves' direction.

Suddenly, all the dry, but still sticky, wads of gum came hurtling towards Peeves.  But instead of the gums entering Peeves' nostrils (since they all can't fit there), they all stuck to his face, including the gum that he used to lock Ron in the boys' dormitory.  Everyone laughed and Peeves floated away, cursing.

Ron was cursing too.  He came out of the dormitory, a great big frown plastered across his face.  "Curse that stinking, f—ing poltergeist!  I already woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, and he had to come along and make my day worse than it is already!"

"Calm down, Ron," Hermione said as she came down from the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory.  "At least Harry took care of him.  I'm not sure he would be coming here for a long time!"

"He'd better not," Ron grumbled.

"C'mon, we'd better have breakfast.  We don't want to be late for our next class…whatever it is," Harry said.

"I thought we're having Snape for first period!" Ron protested, confused.

"Ron, we don't even have our class schedules yet," Hermione informed him.

"But—I thought—I—oh, never mind!" Ron exclaimed.  _Stupid dream_, he thought.

The day was almost over.  The sun was beginning to set between the mountains as the disgruntled Gryffindor sixth years trudged up to their common room.  Some of them, like Parvati and Lavender, came from Divination, while the others, like Neville, Dean, Seamus, Harry, Ron and Hermione, just came from Transfiguration.

 "I still can't understand why you won't let me sit next to you," Hermione told Harry, as the three friends sat in their usual corner of the common room.  "I could've helped you with your Conjuring Spell, you know.  You were having so much trouble with it."

"No, I was doing well!" Harry hurriedly lied.  "It's a good thing you sat beside Ron today.  He was the one having trouble with his frog."

"Just a bit," Ron answered.  "At least _my_ frog had skin, bones, and muscles.  Yours was like a bunch of internal organs floating above your desk."

"Well—_your_ frog didn't have a tongue!" Harry retorted defensively.  But Ron did have a point.  At least Harry did better than Neville, whom he sat beside in Transfiguration.  Neville's toad (not Trevor this time) was lacking a skeletal and a muscular system, therefore making it look like a deflated ball at the end of the class.  Actually, when Harry thought about it, his "frog" presentation (a.k.a. internal organs) was a LOT worse than Neville's aired-out toad.  "Besides, they aren't supposed to be teaching this stuff to sixth years.  I thought they were of N.E.W.T. level."

"I think Professor McGonagall wanted us to get a head start on the spell so we could have a long time to practice it," Hermione said.  "It really isn't difficult when you think about it.  You just have to concentrate really hard, harder than usual."

"That's easy for _you_ to say," Ron muttered irritatingly.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "_your_ toad's body systems were complete, you don't have to worry about a thing."

"How come you're _always_ doing well in any subject you take?  Well, except for Divination…" Ron asked, though not expecting an answer.

Hermione blushed.

For the next two weeks of school, Harry constantly let Ron sit beside Hermione, wherever they go, any classroom (since they're all taking the same subjects), during lunch, in the common room, and even in the library.  Oftentimes, Harry leaves them alone in the library, pretending that he left something in the Great Hall so he would have to "fetch it".  He always had an excuse to leave.  In fact, he's done this so many times in the past weeks, that he is beginning to run out of excuses.

Hermione was totally clueless and asking Ron why Harry was so forgetful these days.  Ron told her he didn't know, but he does.

Ron isn't stupid.  He knew what Harry is up to, even though Harry didn't tell him what he's planning.  But there is _no way_ that he was going to tell Hermione that he loves her, and ruin their friendship.

But there was one incident within the second week of school, when Ron almost told his feelings to Hermione.

_(flashback…)_

_It was the usual Thursday morning.  Everyone in the Great Hall was talking loud enough for his or her voice to echo in the Hall.  Three of those people are Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  The voices of the people are so loud that they need to scream to hear each other's faces._

_Ron took a break from his yelling and let the other loud voices run over his head.  He scooped a spoonful of soup that is served in front of him.  Just as he bent over to sip the soup, something big and feathery hit his head and caused his soup bowl to tip over and cover his robes with the specialty of the day, Crab Soup._

_"Argh!" Ron grunted as he looked down on his soggy, wet robes.  He looked up to see their ancient family owl, Errol, clutching a white envelope by his beak.  "Bloody bird!  _Why _does Mum always send him?  He's a total menace!"_

_Hermione took the letter from Errol's beak while Harry helped Errol up to his feet.  There was also another owl that held out its foot, with a velvet pouch tied around it, to Hermione.  It was the owl that brought her the Daily Prophet.  Hermione gave some money to the owl and then it flew off with Errol._

_Harry read the back of the white envelope.  "Hermione?  I think this is for you," he said, handing the envelope to Hermione._

_"It's from Viktor!" she joyously exclaimed._

_"I'd better go change," Ron mumbled._

_"Hurry up so I can read Viktor's letter to you both!" Hermione called after Ron, as he strode off to Gryffindor tower._

_Ron slowly changed robes back in the dormitory.  He certainly didn't want to hear Krum's "sweet" words to Hermione, the only girl Ron ever loved._

_No such luck.  Hermione did wait until Ron came back to the Great Hall so she could start reading the letter._

_"Dear Hermione," she read.  Then she started scanning the letter without reading it aloud._

_And little by little, her smile faded.  Then, with a look on her face that suggests she can't believe something just happened, she put down the letter.  Harry and Ron exchanged looks across the table.  Something was up._

_"Er, Hermione?" Harry spoke up.  "Can I have the letter?"_

_Hermione handed it to him without a word, and still looking like someone Petrified her._

_Ron transferred to the other side of the table to read the letter with Harry._

Dear Hermione,

It is hard for me to say this to you, but I do not think our re-lationship is going well.  We are so far away from one another that it is hard to stay to-gether.

But I am not saying that you are not a nice girl.  You are the greatest girl I have ever met.  No one is like you.  You are, as you say, "one in a million".  I hope you would not change.

But I think it would be good for us to not be together anymore.  I think it is because you are busy with your studies and I am busy with this season's World Cup.  Me and my team-mates get to travel around the world and meet different people.  Then we have our Quidditch practices almost everyday.  So you can see how busy I am.

I am sorry.  Please do not be angry at me.  I hope we can still be friends.

Your friend,

Viktor

_Ron and Harry looked up from the letter, "uneasy" written all over their faces._

_"We're sorry, Hermione," Ron piped up, his voice overflowing with sympathy._

_"Yeah, really sorry," added Harry, with that same tone of voice._

_"No, I'm okay," Hermione sniffled.  "I just—I can't believe he just did this to me!" she exclaimed, trying to fight back the tears that were welling up her eyes._

_Ron tried to comfort her.  "Hermione—"_

_"He knows that I love him, and I thought he loved me too! _WHY_ doesn't he want to be together anymore?  Is it me?  Was I interfering in his life?  Was I a pest of some sort?  If so, _why_ did he have to ask me to be his girlfriend in the first place?  If I was just going to be a useless lump in his life, _why_ did he ask me to be his girlfriend?  Why, why, _WHY_?"_

_Despite her best efforts, fresh tears started falling down Hermione's face.  She buried her face in her hands._

_Ron transferred back to his seat beside Hermione and patted her at the back.  What was there to do?  He certainly didn't know the answers to Hermione's questions; he's not Krum.  All he could give her at that moment was his emotional support._

I guess that's all I can offer her,_ Ron sadly thought.  _My friendship.

_Sobbing, Hermione turned to Ron and cried on his shoulder.  Ron felt so sorry for her that he felt like a pat on the back is not enough to show her the support she needed.  Ron wrapped his arms around her and gave her a warm hug._

_Hermione continued to cry, but then she also gave Ron a hug while crying over his shoulder.  "Thanks…(sniff) Ron," she whispered into his ear.  She gave a tighter hug to show her thanks._

_As for Harry, he was just sitting there, watching his two friends hugging among the sea of people in the Great Hall.  As much sorrow he felt for Hermione's situation, Harry couldn't help noticing that _Hermione was hugging Ron.__

_Harry's eyes widened._

_Ron noticed this and threw__a confused look at Harry.  "What?" he mouthed, Hermione's arms still around him, and his arms still enveloping Hermione._

_Harry blinked several times, as if to show that he was just staring into space and he was seeing nothing.  "Uh—nothing, nothing!" he muttered back._

_Ron was not aware, however, that he just hugged Hermione, the love of his life.  When they parted their sweet, long hug, Ron saw that Hemione looked so miserable.  He wanted to think of something that would cheer her up._

She probably feels that no one could ever love her, _he thought.  _She probably feels so alone.  I wouldn't know, I always have Harry by my side… _Then he had the most dangerous idea. _I got it!  I'll tell her my true feelings for her so that she won't feel alone.

_It seemed like the perfect time to reveal his feelings, but it wasn't the perfect place.  Ron had never proposed his true love in a public place, especially in a place where rumors spread like wildfire._

_But Ron wanted to say it.  He just can't put into words how he feels for her, unlike in his dream, where he just blurted out what he said.  Only he can't remember what he said.  But he knew the message was, "I love you"._

_He couldn't do it.  Not there, in that gossip-infested territory.  He tried to, but he just couldn't do it._

_It was an interesting sight, the three friends.  One happily "staring into space", one crying her eyes out, and one looking like he's struggling with something._

_(end)_

Ron couldn't believe he didn't _tell_ Hermione at that very moment that he loved her.  He couldn't understand why he can't put into words the feeling he experiences whenever he thinks about her.

Hermione's all better now.  Just three days after her split with Krum and she's in much better shape.  She is currently in the girls' dormitory writing a letter for Krum.  Oh, not a love letter.  A payback.

Ron, however, is in the boys' dormitory trying to blame himself for his stupidity of not revealing his feelings to Hermione.

Harry came in and told Ron that he now has a chance in making Hermione his girlfriend.  Harry started suggesting all these things that Ron could do to make Hermione notice him.

"Since you can't _tell_ Hermione that you care about her," Harry began, "I think you should just _show_ her your feelings."

"I don't want to do those things," Ron said in a tired voice.

"You've been saying that for the past few days, Ron!  What do you want to do, anyway?" Harry exclaimed, exasperated.  He spent days trying to convince Ron that the only way Hermione would notice him is through showing her that she's special in his life.

"I don't know!  Okay?  I just—I just don't know!"  Ron sat on his bed.  He looked so helpless.

Harry sighed sympathetically and sat beside Ron in his four-poster bed.  "Why don't you just tell her, 'I love you, Hermione'?"

"Because!  That's not enough for me to explain how I truly feel for her."

"So it's 'more than words'?" Harry asked, trying to hide a smile as he quoted from an old Muggle song.

"Guess so," Ron gloomily answered.  But he noticed that Harry didn't look so convinced.

"What?" Ron exclaimed with the tone of voice that suggests he can't understand why Harry can't comprehend to what he's saying about his feelings being "more than words".  He sat up from his bed and faced Harry.  "Do you expect me to just walk up to her and say, 'I love you, Hermione.  I've loved you my whole life'?"

Harry gave Ron a firm nod when he heard that particular declaration of love.

But what both of them didn't know was that someone else heard it too.  Just outside the slightly opened dormitory door, someone who just came up to the dormitory to ask for suggestions as to what to write in her letter, stood Hermione.  She heard the whole thing.

A/N: Hehe… Did you like it?  I know I did.  Anyway, this does NOT have a sequel…unless you guys want to do a sequel, go ahead.  But for me, it's too complicated.  Please review!  Thanks!


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